What delivery methods are you prescribed for Estrogen?

[KayXo]

Hi Ellement,

From the research that could be the reason! This is the basics of it;

The research done on oral Estrogen indicates it's not as smooth and even delivery as patches, and it does make the liver do more work! These are not as important as the last issue which is that oral Estrogen can reduce Insulin Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) by 15-40% which is produced by the liver. The IGF-1 levels are very high in teenage girls going through puberty and their teenage years. Once we reach our 20's it gets lower, and lower again as we get older. This helps the breasts to grow so quickly in cis girls teenage years and researchers now suspect this is why mtf transsexuals have smaller breasts than their cis relatives.

I'm on injections (non-oral) and my IGF-1 levels are very low, under normal range. My breasts aren't growing and actually, since switching to injections from oral, my breasts have shrunk. In all other respects, I felt better and things improved or so, it seems. Looking into that at the moment.

I find that if I add some oral estrogen to injectables, my breasts start to grow although my IGF-1 levels would further decline. Women with growth hormone deficiency (Laron Syndrome) also seem to have good breast growth. So, I think it's much more complicated than just IGF-1.

Some older women with much lower levels of IGF-1 have significantly better results than their younger counterparts, in their late teens or early 20's.

I tried gel too and it dries pretty quickly. I stopped because I kept applying to my breasts which is not recommended as apparently it can cause breast cancer

Indeed, it is recommended not to do so but when one digs deeper into the subject matter, one realizes this recommendation is not evidence based as there no study showing applying it this way increases the risk of breast cancer nor has there been any cause and effect established with respect to estrogen and breast cancer. The results are MIXED and a recent study showed HRT in transwomen did not increase the risk in our population.

Still, one should follow the doctor's directives. If they advise against doing it this way, follow orders.

Effectiveness is primarily based on blood levels and genetic heritage.

And many more things. Just to illustrate. All the women, on both sides, in my family have large breasts. My blood levels of estrogens are very high, typical of pregnancy levels. I also take progesterone. Despite all this, my breasts are very small, AA to A. On oral, I get better breast growth with lower levels of estrogen.

Some things will just remain a mystery. Such is life!

she moved me onto injections of Primogyn Depot weekly then to fortnightly and on the 16th of every month an additional injection of hydroxy-progesterone hexanoate all intramuscularly. (after only 3 months my feminisation speeded up dramatically, with me getting B Cup breasts rapidly and a much smaller and well defined waist.)

Primogyn is estradiol valerate, I believe and hydroxyprogesterone hexanoate is the same as hydroxyprogesterone caproate. Both are still available, I think, in some countries. I know a transwoman taking both with phenomenal breast growth but she took VERY high doses of the progestin, hydroxyprogesterone caproate to the point where she was lactating A LOT.

[laurenb]

Sublingual Estradiol here. It seems to be working just fine. My boobs are constantly sore and my nipples are erect way more than anything else 

[LShipley]

Hey Everybody,

Did we all forget about bio-identical estradiol taken sublingual?

This is my preferred method. It is cheap, safe, readily available, and very effective.

Not every form of estrogen will dissolve sublingual. The estradiol made by Mylan or Teva dissolve in 2 or 3 minutes. Just try not to swallow until several minutes after they are completely dissolved.

Effectiveness is primarily based on blood levels and genetic heritage.

Mines Teva! Gone in minutes =D This is by far my preferred method now.  Tablets > Pills

[KathyLauren]

My doc started me on patches, due to my age, worried about liver effects.  She prescribes pills for her younger patients.  It's only been a week and a half, so too early to see significant changes, but my nipples have definitely woken up.  They are standing taller and getting wider, and get irritated runnbing against my shirt when I walk the dog.

[Devlyn]

Patches, as of this afternoon! 

Hugs, Devlyn

[Rikigirl]

I'm on injections (non-oral) and my IGF-1 levels are very low, under normal range. My breasts aren't growing and actually, since switching to injections from oral, my breasts have shrunk. In all other respects, I felt better and things improved or so, it seems. Looking into that at the moment.

I find that if I add some oral estrogen to injectables, my breasts start to grow although my IGF-1 levels would further decline. Women with growth hormone deficiency (Laron Syndrome) also seem to have good breast growth. So, I think it's much more complicated than just IGF-1.

Some older women with much lower levels of IGF-1 have significantly better results than their younger counterparts, in their late teens or early 20's.

Hi KayXo,

Yes it is not as simple as IGF-1 levels or HGH levels. There is general health, Vitamin D levels not too low or too high, exercise, amino acid levels, and many other things known, and I am sure many still not known. The point is that oral Estrogen does lower IGF-1 levels due to the liver having extra work. Lower IGF-1 levels do not support higher GH levels which does can restrict breast growth and feminising changes. This has been documented in controlled experiments on Cis women. Higher Estrogen levels usually increase GH levels too.

Laron Syndrome is not low GH, it is a GH insensitivity disorder where the GH receptors are often faulty. Yes many Cis women with Laron have normal breast growth so there is very much more to breast growth as you say. I always try to maximise my chances!

Riki

[KayXo]

Laron Syndrome is not low GH, it is a GH insensitivity disorder where the GH receptors are often faulty.

Indeed. Thank you for correcting.